Starter drive



April 5, 1933. G. H. HOWARD 1,906,067

STARTER DRIVE Filed Nov. 30.. 1931 Patented Apr. 25, 1933 PATENT OFFICE GEORGE H. HOWARD, OF ALI IAMBRA, CALIFORNIA s'rnn'rnn DRIVE Application filed November 30, 1981. Serial No. 578,089.

This invention relates to a starter drive for motors.

The prime object is to provide a novel drive, the single spring of which acconr:

plishes five different functions, each of which materially aids in the successful operation and long life of the device.

Another object is to provide a drive which is compact and in which the parts are all supported when a load is applied thereto, so that no single part is required to take the entire load.

Still another object is to provide a device of the character stated which is sufliciently heavy and the inertia of the mass is high enough so that it will not spin with the motor shaft prior to engaging with the teeth on the fly-wheel.

A further object is to control the movement of the device on its shaft without the aid of a threaded stop nut, which nut might become loose and thus impair the operation.

An advantage of my drive is the smooth surface over which the unit moves which makes for free, flexible and positive 0peration. I

A feature of my invention is that the working parts are all enclosed and may be packed in grease thus preventing dirt or rust from interfering with the operation.

Other objects, advantages and features of invention may a-ppear'from the accompanying drawing, the subjoined detailed description and the appended claims.

I n' the drawing Figure 1 is a fragmentary side elevation of the starter drive, electric motor and flywheel.

Figure 2 is a side view, partly in section and partly in elevation, of the cam sleeve and-starter gear.

Figure 8 is aside elevation, partly in section of the starter drive assembly, but with the enclosing shell removed.

Figure 4 is a side elevation of the starter drive assembl the enclosing shell being shown in section.

Figure 5 is aside view of the driving key.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, the numeral 1 indicates the fly-wheel of an engine upon which the usual starter gear 2 is mounted. An electric starting motor 3 is mounted adjacent thefly-wheel 1 and is provided with the usual armature shaft 4;. A sleeve shaft 5 fits closely over. the outer end of the armature shaft 4 and is secured to the shaft by suitable means such as a key, a set screw or the like.

My starter assembly 6 is slidably mounted on the sleeve shaft 5 and consists of the following parts: a stop nut 7 screws on the inner end of the sleeve shaft 5 and is preferably held against accidental unscrewing by a pin 8 which is inserted from the inside. The stop nut does not limit the travel of the starter drive, as will be subsequently shown, but is used only in event the normal stop should break and should be accidentally dislodged.

A spur gear 9 is slidably mounted on theshaft5 and a flange 10 is integrally formed therewith. A sleeve cam 11 is slidably mounted on the shaft 5 and is provided with a spiral cam 12, the purpose of which will be further described.

A flange 13 is integrally formed at one end of the cam sleeve 11 and the purpose of this flange will also be subsequently described.

A pair of driving keys 14 fit into the shaft 5 and project into the cam slot 12. These keys act as a stop to prevent the assembly from flying off of the shaft, and also act as a driving means when the spur gear 9 is not in driving position. Asleeve 15 fits over the cam sleeve 11 for the purpose of holding the driving lugs or keys 14 in position, and it will prevent the keys from falling out. A spiral spring 16 surrounds the sleeve 15 andis positioned between the flange 10, 13. Both ends of the spring are bent outwardly substantially at right angles, as shown at 17, 18, and fit into slots or notches 19, 20, respectively, formed in the flanges 13, 10, respectively. 1

A latching p0int21 is provided on th outer end of each of the parts 17, 18 for the purpose of holding the starter drive against accidental movement when the drive is in disengaged position. A ring 22 is secured to the outer end of the shaft 5, and this ring is provided with a notch 23 in the face thereof, into which the point 21 fits. Due to the resiliency of the spring 16 the point will be held securely in the notch, and as long as the motor is idle the starter drive will be held in disengaged position.

A plurality of pins 24 are provided in the flanges 10, 13, and these pins bear against the end faces of the spring 16, thus holding the spring in position and preventing any distortion thereof.

A space 25 is provided between the end of the cam sleeve 11 and the recess in the flange 10. The purpose of this space is to permit a slight longitudinal movement of the pinion gear and flange as this gear meshes with the starter gear 2. The spring 16 has the effect of yieldably urging the pinion gear into spaced relation with the end of the cam sleeve 11. This function of the spring is important in that it enables the gears to mesh properl and without injury to each other, particu arly if the teeth in the gear should strike against each other and not mesh properly.

A housing 26 encloses the entire drive eliminating dust or abrasive material. The housing is preferably suitably secured to the flange l0, and inwardly directed lugs 27 project over the flange 13, thus holding the drive in assembled position by allowing a slight longitudinal movement of the flange 10, for the purpose previously described.

The housing also serves to retain grease or oil thus materially increasing the life of my drive. The housing also serves to retain the spring 16 in position and will prevent a back lash when the drive disengages. This will materially assist in preventing the spring from breaking. It will be observed that the spring is not held down securely at either end, so there is no danger of held down screws and also more movement is permitted of the springs, which means greater flexibility and less spring breakage. Due to the fact that all the parts are enclosed, if anything breaks it will not fall into the motor and thus cause considerable damage.

In operation when the starting motor 3 is actuated, the shaft 4 and sleeve shaft 5 are rotated causing the keys 14 to move in the cam 12, thus advancing the pinion gear9into mesh with the starter gear 2. lVhen the keys reach the end of the cam they will impart the rotation of the starting motor through the spring to the pinion gear 9. hen the starting motor is shut off the reverse action takes place due to the rotation of the gear 2.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. In combination with an engine flywheel, a gear on the fly-wheel, a starting motor, and an armature shaft on the motor of a starter drive comprising a sleeve shaft secured to the armature shaft a pinion gear slidably mounted on said sleeve shaft, a flange on said pinion gear, a cam sleeve slidably mounted on the sleeve shalt, said cam sleeve having a cam slot formed therein, a key on the sleeve shaft extending into said cam slot, a flange on the cam sleeve, and a spring positioned between said flanges and surrounding the cam sleeve, and means removably securing the ends of said spring to said flanges, and a housing extending over the spring and the flanges, and means securing the housing to the flanges.

2. In combination with an engine flywheel, a gear 011 the fly-wheel, a starting motor, and an armature shaft on the motor of a starter drive comprising a sleeve shaft fitted on to the armature shaft, means securing the sleeve shaft to the armature shaft, a pinion gear slidably mounted on the sleeve shaft, a flange extending from the pinion gear, a cam sleeve journaled on the sleeve shaft, said cam sleeve having a cam slot formed therein, a key on the sleeve shaft, said key projecting into the cam slot, a flange extending from the cam sleeve, a coil spring surrounding the cam sleeve and positioned between the flanges, and means securing the ends of the spring to the flanges.

3. In combination with an engine flywheel, a gear on the fly-wheel, a starting motor, and an armature shaft on the motor of a starter drive comprising a sleeve shaft fitted on to the armature shaft, means securing the sleeve shaft to the armature shaft, a pinion gear slidably mounted on the sleeve shaft, a flange extending from the pinion gear, a cam sleeve journaled on the sleeve shaft, said cam sleeve having a cam slot formed therein, a key on the sleeve shaft, said key projecting into the cam slot, a flange extending from the cam sleeve, a coil spring surrounding the cam sleeve and positioned between the flanges, and means securing the ends of the spring to the flanges, a retaining sleeve fitted over the cam sleeve, and a ring removably secured to the outer end of said sleeve shaft.

4. In combination with an engine flywheel, a gear on the fly-wheel, a starting motor, and an armature shaft on the motor of a starter drive comprising a sleeve shaft fitted on to the armature shaft, means securing the sleeve shaft to the armature shaft, a pinion gear slidably mounted on the sleeve shaft, a flange extending from the pinion gear, a cam sleeve journaled on the sleeve shaft, said cam sleeve having a cam slot formed therein, a key on the sleeve shaft, said key projecting into the cam slot, a flange extending from the cam sleeve, a coil spring surrounding the cam sleeve and positioned between the flanges, each of said flanges having a slot formed therein, the ends of said spring eing bent to fit into said slots whereby the spring is removably attached tothe flanges, and a ring removably secured to the outer end of said sleeve shaft.

5. In combination with an engine flywheel, a gear on the fly-wheel, a starting motor, and an armature shaft on the motor of a starter drive comprising a sleeve shaft fitted on to the armature shaft, means securing the sleeve shaft to the armature shaft, a pinion gear slidably mounted on the sleeve shaft, a flange extending from the pinion gear, a cam sleeve journaled on the sleeve shaft, said cam sleeve having a cam slot formed therein, a key on the sleeve shaft, said key projecting into the camslot, a flange extending from the cam sleeve, a coil spring surrounding the cam sleeve and positioned between the flanges, each of said flanges having a slot formed therein, the ends of said spring being bent to fit into said slots whereby the spring is removably attached to the flanges, and a ring removably secured to the outer end offsaid sleeve shaft, said ring having a notch formed there in, and the end of said spring being formed with a latching point adapted to extend into the notch in the ring whereby the starter drive is held in retracted position.

6. In combination with an engine flywheel, a gear on the fly-wheel, a starting motor, and an armature shaft on thecmotor of a starter drive comprising a sleeve shaft fitted on to the armature shaft, means-securing the sleeve shaft to the armature shaft, a pinion gear slidably mounted on the sleeve shaft, a fiangeextending from the pinion gear, a cam sleeve journaled on the sleeve shaft, said cam sleeve having a cam slot formed therein, a key on the sleeve shaft, said key projecting into the cam slot, a flange extending from the cam sleeve, a coil spring surrounding the cam sleeve and positioned between the flanges, each of said flanges having a slot formed therein, the ends of said spring being bent to fit into said slots whereby the spring is removably attached to the flanges, and a ring removably secured to the outer end of said sleeve shaft, said ring having a notch formed therein, and the end of said spring being formed with a latching point adapted to extend into the notch in. the ring whereby the starter drive is held in retracted position, and a housing extending around the spring and the flanges, and means securing the housing to the flanges.

7 In combination with an engine flywheel, a gear on the fly-wheel, a starting motor, and an armature shaft on the motor 3f a starter drive comprising a sleeve shaft fitted on to the armature shaft, a pinion gear slidably mounted on the sleeve shaft, a flange projecting from the pinion gear, a cam sleeve, said cam sleeve having a cam slot formed therein, a key on the sleeve shaft,

said key extending into said cam slot, said flange having a recesslforinedtherein in to winch a the" cam sleeve pro ects, said flange being longitudinallygmovable relative to the cam sleeveya flange projecting from the cam sleeve, each ofthe flanges having notches formed therein, a spring encircling the cam sleeve; the ends of said sleeve beingbent to' fit into the notch in the flanges, and a housing surroundingthe spring and flanges;

8, .In combination with an engine flywheel, a gear on the fly-wheel, a starting ,in to which the cam sleeve projects, said flange being longitudinally movable relative to the cam sleeve, a flange projecting from the cam sleeve, each of the flanges having notches formed therein, a spring encircling the cam sleeve, the ends of said sleeve being bent to fit into the notch in the flanges, and a housing surrounding the spring and flanges, a ring removably secured to the outer end of the sleeve shaft, the ends of said spring being formed with looking points, said ring having a notch formed therein to receive the latching point in the end of the spring whereby the starter drive is held in retracted position.

9. In combination with an engine flywheel, a gear on the fly-wheel, a starting motor, and an armature shaft on the motor of a starter drive comprising a sleeve shaft fitted on to the armature shaft and extending thereover, means securing the sleeve shaft to the armature shaft, a pinion gear slidably mounted on the sleeve shaft, a flange on said gear, a cam sleeve slidably mounted on the sleeve shaft, said cam sleeve having a cam slot formed therein, a key on the sleeve shaft extending into said cam slot, a flange on the cam sleeve, a spring p0- sitioned between said flanges and surrounding the cam sleeve, means removably securing the ends of said spring to said flanges, a ring on the outer end of said sleeve shaft, yieldable means projecting from the last named flange, means on said ring engageable by yieldable means whereby the starter drive is held in retracted position.

10. In combination with an engine flywheel, a gear on the fly wheel, a starting mot-er, and an armature shaft on the motor of a starting drive comprisinga sleeve shaft secured to the armature shaft, a pinion gear slidably mounted on said sleeve shaft, a flange on said gear, a cam sleeve slidably mounted on the sleeve shaft, said cam sleeve having a cam slot formed therein, a key on the sleeve shaft extending into said cam slot, a flange 0n the cam sleeve, and a spring positioned between said flanges and surrounding the cam sleeve, and means removably securing the ends of said spring to said flanges, the end of said earn sleeve being spaced from the flange 0n the gear whereby longitudinal movement of the gear is permitted when meshing with the gear on the fly-wheel.

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature.

GEORGE H. HOWARD. 

